The invention relates to an oil pan, particularly an oil pan of an internal combustion engine for driving a motor vehicle.
In order to reduce the weight of motor vehicles oil pans of plastic materials are increasingly used instead of metal oil pans. However, oil pans of plastic are relatively sensitive to impacts; they may break when hitting an obstacle. In order to reduce the danger, DE 297068372 proposes to make such oil pans in the bottom area with an inner and an outer shell which shells are interconnected by ribs. The outer shell arranged in the lower area of the oil pan serves as a protection structure. Nevertheless, such an oil pan will not be able to absorb a relatively strong impact. It also appears to be impossible for the oil pan to carry the weight of the engine so that the engine cannot be placed directly onto a floor as this is generally done when the engine is removed from a motor vehicle or before it is installed in a motor vehicle.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an oil pan which is light-weight but, nevertheless, is strong enough to overcome the disadvantages referred to above.